kibitzer

[ kib-it-ser ]

noun

, Informal.

1. a spectator at a card game who looks at the players' cards over their shoulders, especially one who gives unsolicited advice.
2. a giver of uninvited or unwanted advice.

   Synonyms: meddler, snoop, busybody

3. a person who jokes, chitchats, or makes wisecracks, especially while others are trying to work or to discuss something seriously.

Word History and Origins

Origin of kibitzer¹

First recorded in 1925–30; from Yiddish kibitser; kibitz, -er ¹

Example Sentences

But Scheer’s framing, in which a flock of comic and undermining kibitzers descends for the wedding on Marina’s new estate in Wellesley, Mass., is too lightweight to support much content.

From New York Times

They also worked hard keeping kibitzers off the street.

From Los Angeles Times

For all the talk of life forces, however, there’s a lack of kinetic energy between the elder marquise and Voltaire, who is reduced to a concupiscent kibitzer with a string of chronic ailments.

From New York Times

The exchange sacrifice — offering a rook for a minor piece — is such a reliable weapon in the modern grandmaster’s arsenal that kibitzers the world over were stunned by Black’s cavalier 28.

From Washington Times

An essential part of being a creative professional is learning to corral kibitzers so they don’t siphon off too much of your time and energy.

From Washington Post